El Paso County Search & Rescue seeing an increase in rescue calls and summer has barely started
Karla Sosa
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – El Paso County Search and Rescue tells KRDO13 they’re seeing a big increase in rescue calls and summer has barely started. With warmer temperatures sticking around, more people are getting outdoors, but the increased heat also brings more risk if you’re not prepared.
Last year, in June, El Paso County Search and Rescue received 15 calls. This year, for the same month, they’ve already had 21 calls, and the month isn’t over.
Chris Valentine, with El Paso County Search and Rescue, said most of their rescues this year have been at the Manitou Incline. One of their busiest weekends was just earlier this month.
“Seven of them were on June 14th and 15, which is a very busy weekend. So, you know, folks who were last up at Rampart Reservoir, folks who are sick on the incline and on our trails. So, we have a number of patients on those two days,” said Valentine.
Valentine said there could be a number of reasons why there’s an increase in search and rescue calls.
“Yeah, it’s impossible to put your finger on what is happening. We have people who are getting lost in the middle of the people getting sick and injured in the wilderness,” said Valentine.
There are about 70 volunteers who are part of the search and rescue team, and every rescue is a challenge. Although they’re all volunteers, saving lives is their number one priority.
“It takes about 20 of us just to go on a simple mission of our trail with someone who hurt an ankle or something like that, it takes a lot of people, resources in the back country,” said Valentine. “We all have normal jobs, our lives, and we just kind of stop what we’re doing if we’re able to and respond to that call.”
These volunteers train all year round so they can be prepared for whenever they get a call.
“So we’re always preparing for everything from angler rescue to backcountry rescue to a blizzard mission. So, our team trains hundreds of hours every month,” said Valentine.
Valentine said the most common calls they get are for injuries, illness, or when people get lost.